Chicken and Cilantro Meatballs (Sensational Version)
I work in an industry where you are frantically busy from March to the end of April and the unfortunate side effect of that is that you tend to eat alot of take out. In an effort to avoid the addition of an extra 10 pounds to my summer wardrobe, one of the options that I often go to for take out is Thai food and this is where the idea for this recipe came from. If you have ever had a really good green mango salad you will know that they are seriously good and so from the mango salad at my local Thai restaurant this little gems were born.
One of the things that I like about these is that they really do fit the bill from a "I don't feel like I am eating something good for me" standpoint. They are completely moreish and for such a little nibble, pack a major flavour punch.
Chicken and Cilantro Meatballs (Sensational Version)
Chicken and Cilantro Meatballs (Sensational Version)
(makes around 25)
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
1 oz Rice Noodles (the kind that you use in rice paper rolls) 8 oz minced chicken 1 clove garlic 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro (Coriander) 1 egg white 3 teaspoons fish sauce For the mango salsa
1 small mango (preferably slightly under ripe, about 1/2 cup of fruit in a small dice) 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion 2 teaspoons lime juice 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or brown sugar) 1 small chill deseeded and finely chopped
Method
Combine all the ingredients for the salsa and set aside. Soak the noodles in boiling water for five minutes or until soft. Drain and pat dry. Chop the noodles into small pieces and combine with the remaining meatball ingredients. The mix for these meatballs is quite sticky, so the best way to form them into meatballs is to wet your hands first, I use a teaspoonful per meatball, which is a good bite sized serve. Cook the meatballs in a non stick fry pan for about two minutes per side or until golden brown. Serve warm topped with a little of the mango salsa.
